Kabwe plunges into darkness following theft of transformers

Kabwe town in Central Province has been plunged into darkness after unknown people stole three Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) transformers this month.

 

ZESCO Spokesperson Henry Kapata revealed the development to ZANIS in Lusaka today saying the electricity supply company has lost about K71, 600 from a series of thefts in the district.

 

Mr. Kapata said the transformers that have been stolen are 25 Kva, 100 Kva and 200 Kva which were all installed on the Ndola road between Chindwin Barracks and Kamuchanga compound in Kabwe.

He complained that ZESCO has been losing a lot of money through theft of its installations adding that this was not the first time such thefts have happened in Kabwe.

 

Mr. Kapata said the theft of the transformers has resulted in the whole Kabwe experiencing loss of electricity supply.

 

He said it was regrettable that government was pumping a lot of money into the power company which was however going to waste because of theft of the company installations.

 

Mr. Kapata said the theft of the transformers was very retrogressive because it will force the company to look for huge sums of unbudgeted for money to buy transformers which can be channeled to other areas of need.

 

He has since appealed to the residents of Kabwe to help police bring the culprits to book noting that the thieves must be local people.

 

He however said the company was making frantic efforts to restore electricity supply to the area.

 

Mr. Kapata said it was unfortunate that residents of Kabwe were blaming ZESCO for the loss of supply because they were treating the matter as load shedding.